Fire Engines Photos

Wow, Gee, Gosh, what a classic Escape Carrier.Just pick
it up, throw it on, and away ya go.Classic photo Frank.

Added by Pete Matten on 13 October 2008.

Frank:

Looks like an Aerial Ladder married to an Escape Ladder; there must be a rear ramp, to roll the whole works off the truck.

And, then to set it up - must be some Power Assist, with the weight of those Ladder Sections.

Obviously, a design to work in cramped quarters.

Any one, in the Wheeled Escape Dept., got more information, on this fascinating rig ?

Thanks for an interesting truck.

Regards, from canada,
Pat_R-B

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 14 October 2008.

The ladder is an an 18 meter (59 foot) alloy 3 section on a wheeled chassis. A very old design, they are not seen outside France, but they are still used in many cities in old districts where ground ladders carried on pumpers are too short (typically up to 8 meters = 26 feet) and there simply is not enough room to manuver a turntable. There is no pump, tank or hose and - although designed to carry a crew of 5 - they are now manned by only 1 or 2. The crews of other responding units have to position the ladder, if it is needed. This requires a crew of four. Paris has finally dropped these, and now carries 15 meter (50 foot) light alloy ground ladders on their heavy pumps. These are very difficult to unship, but they do have an eight man crew on their pumpers, so it gets done eventually. Marseille has only six on a pump, so they cannot handle the 15 meter ladder, and they have kept a few old 18 meter ladder carriers in service. These very compact trucks do last a long time, because they get very little use, and we all know that in the fire service traditions die hard!

Added by Rob Johnson on 17 May 2010.

Thanks, Rob; there must be some cursing from today's crews, struggling to manoeuvre their big & awkward Ground Ladders in those tight Medieval City spaces..... and they formerly had this handy little Escape Ladder.....

Ah, "Progress" !

Added by Pat Rivers-Bowerman on 19 May 2010.

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